[NASA] Stormy, Snowy Winter for Hokkaido

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Northern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is home to some of the snowiest cities in the world. Sapporo, the island’s largest city and host of an annual snow festival, typically sees more than 140 days of snowfall, with nearly 6 meters (20 feet) accumulating on average each year.

Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview

On February 5, 2026, the 

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 (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s 

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 satellite acquired this image of snow-covered landscapes across Hokkaido. With more than 31 active volcanoes, the island features several large caldera lakes, including at least five that are visible in the image. (Calderas are large depressions formed by volcanic eruptions.) In the east, forested windbreaks around Nakashibetsu form a 

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, while to the north, swirls of drifting sea ice adorn the Sea of Okhotsk.

Northern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is home to some of the snowiest cities in the world. However, despite the region’s familiarity with heavy snowfall, winter 2026 got off to a disruptive start. A series of intense storms in January and February repeatedly paralyzed transportation systems, closing airports, snarling roadways, and suspending trains.

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Text credit: Adam Voiland

Image credit: Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview

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